Centrifugal pump



Jan.19,1937. l R H DNS 2,067,903

CENTRIFUGAL PUMP Filed Jan. 14, 193e INVENTOR ATTORNEY wnNEssEs Patented Jan. 19, 1937 UNI-TED STATES FATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in centrifugal pumps, and has particular relation to apparatus of this character which is used for compressing gases.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved and superior form of compressor or pump of the type which uses centrifugally actuated liquid particles for pumping and compressing gases.

A further object is the provision of an improved centrifugal gas compressor of the above character which is efcient in its operation and which is economical in construction, having a relatively few number of parts and accordingly will operate for long periods of time with freedom from wear and breakage.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by providing a rotor disposed in a container for liquids and which is provided near its upper end with a plurality of continuous circular jets extending completely around the rotor, some of the jets being liquid jets and some of them gas jets disposed in alternate relation. The gas jets have communication with a source of supply of the gases to be compressed or pumped, while the liquid jets are connected by means of centrifugally operated means with the liquid disposed in the container. Upon the rotation of the rotor the liquid is forced outwardly through the liquid jets and a stream of liquid impinges upon gas particles, thereby pumping or forcing the gas particles outwardly with the liquid.

For a fuller understanding of the invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is an elevation in section of a centrifugal compressor embodying my present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional'view in the direction of the arrows on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 of the same apparatus.

The centrifugal compressor consists generally of a closed container indicated by the numeral l0, having disposed therein a rotor Il which is provided with a suitable pivotal mounting and has connection with a drive shaft so that it may be rotated when desired at relatively high speed.

Container l0 is preferably formed in two sections,'consisting of a base portion i2 which is provided with a relatively flat bottom and with an upwardly and inwardly extending circular side having formed at the top thereof a laterally projecting flange i3 to which is secured as by means of bolts Iv the laterally projecting flange l5 formed on the upper portion I1 of the container. The top` I'if has an upwardly and inwardly extending side portion similar to the side portion of the base member and a slightly inclined top portion in which is formed an opening I8 adjacent the center thereof for supplying to the com-f pressor the gases which are to'be pumped or compressed. In the inside of the container the upper portion is provided with a downwardly depending circular projection i9 which cooperates with a portion of the rotor to provide a master jet through which both the liquid and the gases are forced as will be later explained.

Extending upwardly from the central portion of the top of the container is a hollow cylindrical stem 20, inside of which I provide suitable means for supporting the rotor so that it may be rotated with a minimum of frictional loss, and pref erably so that it may be adjusted from time to time. A convenient mounting for the rotor is shown in the accompanying drawing, and includes a sleeve 22 fitted inside of the hollow stem 20 and which is provided at its upper end with a laterally extending flange 23 which rests upon the top of the stem 20. Between the flange and the stem may be placed shims or spacers 2| for adjusting the position of the rotor, and it will be seen that by substituting shims or spacers of different sizes the position of the rotor may be altered. Itis preferable to provide suitable means, such as the bolt 2li passing through the flange 23 into the stem 20, for holding the sleeve in fixed krelation with respect to the stem.

Adjacent the upper and lower end of the sleeve are provided ballbearings 25 and 26 respectively, which are recessed or tted into the sleeve as shown in Fig. l. The ballbearings are of conventional construction, each consisting of the bands 2i and 28 and 29 and 30 in which are formed the raceways for receiving the balls 3l and 32, the bands 2l and 29 being secured tothe shaft 33 and the bands 23 and 30 being secured to the sleeve 22. Extending between the ballbearings is a sleeve 3d which preferably is fixed with respect to the shaft 33. At the lower and upper ends of the sleeve 22 are secured rings 33 and 36, each having an upstanding ledge or iiange 3l and 38 which t intoV recesses or grooves formed in the caps 39 and 40 which are iixed to the shaft. The entire frictional engagement and likewise the entire weight is borne by the ballbearings 25 and 26, the engagement between the member 3'! and cap 39 and member 38 and cap 40 preferably being relatively close but free from any substantial frictional engagement, serving principally to insure a relatively tightly sealed mounting forthe rotor.

The shaft 33 supports the rotor Il' at its lower end and is preferably secured thereto by means of bolts 4| passing through a disk 42 formed at the lower end of the shaft and extending into the center of the upper portion of the rotor which is indicated by the numeral 43. The upper portion 43 is preferably circular in shape and has a stepped or recessed portion 44 adjacent its periphery in which is iitted a jet plate 45 which is preferably in the form of a ring extending completely around the top of the rotor and is prefer-- ably made in one piece. Jet plate 45 is suitably secured to the recessed or stepped portion 44 as by means of bolts 46. It preferably curves downwardly to a slight degree towards its outer end or periphery 41 which terminates a short distance inside of the circular projecting portion i9 formed on the inside of the container forming therewith a continuous circular gas jet 41 extending completely around the rotor.

The lower part of the rotor is provided with a pair of concentrically disposed centrifugal plates or members 48 and 49 which are generally in the shape of truncated cones, but the sides of the members instead of being inclined in a straight line are preferably arc-shaped as shown most clearly in Fig. 1. Both members 48 and 49 are open in their lower ends and the member 48 is provided at its upper end with a lip portion 55, the end of which is disposed opposite and spaced a short distance from the projecting portion I9 formed on the inside of the container, thereby providing a jet 5I which is the master jet through which the mixture of gas and liquid particles are forced when the rotor is rotated ata sufficiently high speed. The size of the opening in the jet 5I may be adjusted and changed by substituting shims or spacers 2l of varying sizes between the member 20 and the flange 23 in the rotor mounting.

On the upper surface of the member 48 the lip 50 is provided with a hooked curved portion 52 preferably 'cast integral with the member 48 and terminating approximately in the plane of periphery 41 of jet plate 45 and which extends completely around the member 49 forming a core in the lip 59 which provides a gas space or ring. The outer end of the gas space or ring forms a continuous gas jet 54 extending completely around the rotor through which gas particles are emitted upon the operation of the device. As will be later seen the jet 54 is connected at a number of points to a source of supply of the gas to be compressed. Y

The member 49 is preferably shorter than the member 43, starting a short distance above the lower end thereof and extending upwardly and outwardly at an arc and terminating in a bifurcated end, two forks of which are indicated by the numerals 55 and 56. The forked ends 55 and 55 preferably terminate at a point short of the end of vmember 52, and a short distance from the periphery 41 of the jet plate 45, and between the two forks is formed a continuous gas space or ring extending completely around the member 49 similar to the space formed by member 52, the two ends of members 55 and 55 being formed so as to provide a gas jet 51 similar to the jet 54 through which gases are emitted when the rotor is operated. As in the case of jet 54 the jet 51 is connected at a plurality of points, as will be later explained, to a source of supply of the gas to be compressed.

` To supply the gas which is to be compressed or pumped to the jets 54 and 51, I provide a plurality, vpreferably three, of equally spaced pipes or tubes 58 which are formed integral with or Welded to the top portion 43 and the members 48 and 49. The pipes 59 extend downwardly through the top portion 43, through the member 45, and terminate at the member 48. Extending outwardly towards the periphery of the rotor from each of the pipes 58 and connecting with the two gas rings are the generally fan-shaped expanding passageways 59 and 59. Each of the passageways 59 is cored or hollowed in the member 49 Vand communicates with the gas ring formed between the bifurcated ends 55 and 55, while each of the passageways 60 is cored in the upper casting Wall of the member 48V and communicates with the gas ring formed between the member 52 and the lip portion 50.

As stated above, the passageways 59 and 59 are generally fan-shaped as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 so as to distribute the gas coming through the pipes 58 to the gas rings over as wide an area as possible. interference with the liquid thus traveling up members 48 and 49, the tubes 59 are preferably elliptical or egg-shaped so as to be streamlined in the direction of movement of the liquid as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. The end 41 of the jet plate and the forked end 55 of the member 49 are so spaced as to provide a jet 5l through which the liquids traveling up member 49 from the container I2 will be forced by centrifugal action upon the operation of the rotor, and a similar jet62 is provided between the forked member 55 and the member 52 through which liquids traveling up member 48 will be forced.

In operation, suflicient liquid such as water is placed in the container i2 so as to extend well above the lower ends of the members 48 and 49 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The shaft 33 is then caused to rotate in the direction of the arrows in any suitable manner as by being connected directly or by a belt or gearing to a motor. Due to centrifugal force the liquid in the container I2 will be forced upwardly over the upper surfaces of the members 48 and 49, passing out" wardly through the jets 5I and 62, uniting into a single jet of liquid with a center of gas just within the approximately equal peripheries of jet plate 45 and member 52. To aid in initiating the movement of the liquid upwardly, blades indicated at 63 may be formed adjacent the lower end of the members 48 and 49. The blades should be arranged in propeller fashion so as to force the liquid upwardly when the rotor is turned in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2. The opening I8 in the top of the container is connected by suitable means to a source of the gas which is to be condensed, the gas passing downwardly in the direction of the dotted arrows through the tubes 58 and outwardly through the passageways 59 and to the air rings provided between the bifurcated ends 55 and 56 of the member 49 and between the portion 52 and the lip 59. Some of the gases will likewise pass over the top of the jet plate 45 towards the periphery 41 thereof. The stream of liquid which due to centrifugal force passes upwardly over members 49 and 48 is discharged through jets 6I and 62 respectively, uniting into a single jet of liquid just within the approximately equal peripheries of jet plate 45 and member 52 at the same time im'pinging upon the Vgas from jet 51 which is entrained, forming a central core in the combined streams of liquid coming from jets 6| and 62. When the combined stream of liquid having a central core of gas passes between the end of member 52 and the periphery 41 of jet plate 45 and proceeds towards So as to cause a minimum of master jet 5I, gas particles from jet 54 and from jet 47 are entrained in the liquid and the whole is then forced outwardly through master jet 5I into the container.

As the rotor is rotated gas will thus be drawn downwardly through the opening I8, pipe 58, passageways 59 and 60, to the gas rings, and thus through the jets 54 and 51. Gas will likewise be drawn through the opening I8 and the space between the jet plate 45 and the top of the container and thus through jet 4l'. A mixture of gas and liquid will be forced outwardly through the master jet 5|, liquid collecting in the bottom of the container and the gas accumulating in the space 65 around the sides of the container above the liquid. The gas, being under pressure, will help to force the liquid up into rotor I I.

The gas may be withdrawn from the space 65 by means of a tube 66 leading to a suitable compression tank where the compressed gases may be collected. At the bottom of the tank to facilitate Withdrawal of the liquids therefrom may be provided a removable stopper 61.

It will be seen from the illustrated and described embodiment of my invention that I have provided an improved centrifugal gas pump or compressor which is elicient in its operation and which is relatively simple in construction. It will also be seen that it is unnecessary to use valves in association with the rotor as the dynamic action of jet 5I when the machine is in operation eliminates the necessity of employing valves. It will be understood, of course, that many modifications may be made in the illustrated and described embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention, as dened in the accompanying claims, as for instance varying the number and arrangement of gas ducts and of the liquid and gas jets.

I claim:

1. A centrifugal pump for gases including a container fo-r liquids, a rotor pivotally mounted in said container and having a circular upper portion provided with a continuous master jet extending around the periphery thereof and a plurality of -alternately disposed continuous liquid and gas subsidiary jets disposed inside the master jet, said subsidiary gas jets having means for connecting them to a source of the gas to be pumped, and centrifugally operated means including generally truncated cone-shaped members extending from said subsidiary liquid jets downwardly for forcing liquid from said container through said liquid jets and thence through the master jet when the rotor is rotated.

2. A centrifugal pump for gases including a container for liquids and a pivotally mounted rotor in said containen, said rotor including a generally truncated cone-shaped member, and means providing a continuous gas jet and a continuous liquid jet disposed immediately adjacent each other and extending around said truncated cone-shaped member adjacent the upper end thereof, said jets discharging into a master jet formed between the rotor and container and extending completely around the periphery of the rotor, said gas jet having means connecting it to a source of the gas to be pumped and said liquid jet communicating with the liquid in the container by means of the sloping surface of the truncated cone-shaped member.

3, A centrifugal gas compressor including a container for liquids and a pivotally mounted rotor in said container adapted to be partly immersed in the liquid, said rotor and containerv having means providing a master jet extending completely around the periphery of the rotor and being formed with a gas jet and liquid jet in proximate relation each extending completely around said rotor and discharging outwardly through said master jet, said liquid jet having communication with the liquid in said container comprising a truncated cone depending downwardly from said jet, and said gas jet having means for connecting it to a source of the gas to be pumped.

4. In a centrifugal compressor for gases, a rotor having a plurality of continuous jets extending around the periphery of the rotor, some of said jets being gas jets and some of said jets. being liquid jets, said liquid and gas jets being disposed in alternate relation, and said liquid jets having truncated cone-shaped members depending downwardly therefrom and said gas jets having connection with a source of the gas to be pumped.

5. A centrifugal gas compressor including a container for liquids and a pivotally mounted rotor in said container adapted to be partly immersed in the liquid, said rotor including a plurality of concentrically disposed generally trun cated members, and means providing continuous gas jets and continuous liquid jets in alternate relation around said rotor, said gas jets having means for connecting them to a source of the gas to be compressed and said liquid jets communicating with the liquid in the container by f means of the surfaces of said truncated members, and said rotor and container having means providing a master jet extending completely around the periphery of the rotor into which the liquid and gas jets discharge.

RESPESS HASSELL DAVIS. 

